yyzguy

I don't think that there is any way to ensure that you don't have a visit from roaches or geckos at some point...However, I feel that you would see less living in an apartment that isn't ground level.
The geckos don't bother me near as much as the roaches do. Just knowing that they eat a lot of other bugs helps though. And they do their best to stay clear of you. Roaches on the other hand well that is a different story all together....
Good luck on your move, and welcome to Doha!